How do you choose a color for the exterior?

[kb426]

I'd like to know how you people choose a color. Doesn't make any difference what the reason is, I'm just curious what method you use. Many of you have built many hot rods so you have exp. 

[rumrumm]

I have the ability to see the finished car in color in my head. I can see it in any color I want, but there are certain colors that appeal to me. My first rod, a '29 roadster, was red-orange while my present '32 coupe is yellow. It was just of matter of picking the most appealing color chip and seeing it in my head on the car. The completed cars were exactly as I imagined them.

[enjenjo]

For me it's just what looks right at the time, or that puts across an idea. I've had two pink cars, the first was a custom 55 Ford, and the other was the Marlin. I've had a couple red ones, a black one, lots of blocking, one in Marina blue, one in Mulsane blue, and one in a jeep dark blue.

[WZ JUNK]

Drive through the lots at the new car dealers.  Pick a color that suits you.  Little cars a bright color, big cars a dark color. Just my thoughts at the moment.  These thoughts could change at any time.

[jaybee]

I constantly have my eyes open for colors I think look good as I drive. As far as what color looks good on a given car, that's a tough one. It's just sort of a feeling. Car size, build style, the shapes and style lines on the particular car and history all matter. I don't think, for example, I'd paint paint a Camaro in Mopar Green Go...but I might paint a 1969 Barracuda Ford Grabber Blue. Late model cars from a variety of brands have some outstanding colors.

[idrivejunk]

To stay on par with length of other responses, I have to omit nearly all thoughts and abolish questions but I could at least write a pamphlet.

Rumrumm and enjenjo expressed their answers to: "Favorite color: red, yellow or blue?" by each making no mention of one primary color family but mentioning the other two. That eliminates one primary family easy enough. Ranking the remaining two is the second round of elimination, and having done that you have a direction to explore.

I only painted four of my cars. On one, circumstances prevented creating my own color. I made the rest, and figure that disqualifies me and them.

[enjenjo]

My wife used to tease me that I always wore red shirts, and blue jeans. One car I had was painted cardinal red and grabber blue scallops.

[papastoyss]

I'm with WZ Junk, we ride around car dealers lots to see what is out there. I'm not brave enough to paint a car w/o seeing the color  in real time.

[jaybee]

My wife used to tease me that I always wore red shirts, and blue jeans. One car I had was painted cardinal red and grabber blue scallops.

I had a coworker who told his wife he was going to be a little late home from work because he was going to stop at Kohls for some new shirts for work. She said "why, are they having a great sale on blue plaid button ups?"

He didn't even realize he wore nearly all blue plaid shirts to work. Then again, neither did any other guy in the office until we thought about it for a minute.

[chimp koose]

Jaybee you made me laugh ! I have so many blue plaid shirts that I even have 2 of the same shirt . A co worker wanted to dress alike on twin day at our school so I brought the spare that day . Plaid is like industrial camouflage . Hard to see stains unless they are biggies . I figure my wardrobe makes me easy to identify if I ever go missing . How I pick a colour for a car is more complicated . I like to see the colour outside on a vehicle . I can imagine pretty well from there what it will look like . Only time I regretted a choice was when I did plumb crazy purple on my Front engine dragster . I re painted the dragster 2 years later with a ford mustang yellow .

[Canuck]

Worked on my Model A coupe for so long, looking at body panels in primer, PPG DP40, you know that gray green colour,  that I started to like it.  When went shopping for paint picked a colour very close to the DP40.  Got home and sprayed a test panel and found the paint was a mis-tint, lighter than the colour picked.  Ended up looking at it and decided we liked the colour more than what we originally picked.  Ended up a light gray with just a hint of green in a satin mix.  Looked great on the Model A.

[jaybee]

Would you go with a satin color again? I've noticed the rice burner, euro-tuner, and other segments of the car body which like to wrap cars are doing a lot of it in satin. I kind of like it, though I suppose it could turn into one of those fad things.

Or, looked at another way, check it out! You're an early adopter!

[Canuck]

I liked the look, after looking at the car for so long in primer, that was a influence in picking the colour so a satin finish was a fore gone conclusion.  Numerous comments about the car still being in primer.  Unlike primer it was easy to wash and would not fade or chalk.

The bad, any damage requires re-do of the entire panel, no spotting in.

The good, if you get tired of the finish but still like the colour a sanding and coat of clear gives you a shiney finish.  I think for the Model A that would have looked good too. Also good was the support from the suppliers of the urethane Besan paint.

Would I do it again?  On the Model A yes.  On a different car, depends on the car.  I feel that the colour and the finish have to suit the style of car and the message that you want to put out.  Maybe a wrap is the way to go, even on a rod, when you get tired of it, peel it off, I have heard of people buying the material and doing a DIY job for $300, don't know if I would try.

[jaybee]

I don't know if I'd be excited to wrap a whole car, but I've thought of wrapping interior parts. It's good for the obviously plastic parts which make up so much of the interior of any car built in the last 40 years, and probably some of the steel which was so evident inside cars in older models. Especially with the availability of brushed finishes, metal-finishes, and leather grain.

Going back closer to the original topic, how does everyone feel about bringing an external color inside the car, and does that affect your choice for the exterior?

[idrivejunk]

I don't know if I'd be excited to wrap a whole car, but I've thought of wrapping interior parts. It's good for the obviously plastic parts which make up so much of the interior of any car built in the last 40 years, and probably some of the steel which was so evident inside cars in older models. Especially with the availability of brushed finishes, metal-finishes, and leather grain.

Going back closer to the original topic, how does everyone feel about bringing an external color inside the car, and does that affect your choice for the exterior?

Having been a buyer not builder, of used cars, I always preferred black interiors because they leave all exterior colors wide open. And usually last longest. Back seat top is cracked open on my garaged '99 but the over-grass '69's is not!

When stylish carb era cars such as red convertibles for example have brilliant red interiors, I think thats as good as they can look. Light blue and green factory stuff impresses me despite the obligatory wide range of mismatch. I shot a buddy's 70 GMC stock green but base / clear and he put all green stock interior back in it. Seeing that scratches a deep retro itch on the right ride. Same buddy had me do his stock 64 SS and I did my best to imitate each of the interior paint colors and varied sheen. Never saw that one after painting it though. I cut my teeth in a dark blue Tempest with light blue cloth, dark blue floormat. So that combo will always appeal to the Keeper of Old Car in me.